Jodie Meeks arrives in Orlando as another big shooter off the bench. His entire season though rests on his recovery from a foot injury.
It was just a season ago when Jodie Meeks made a lasting impression in Orlando.
Meeks scored 34 points and made 9 of 11 3-pointers at Amway Center making an impression. Even as the Orlando Magic introduced him to the media this summer, that game got plenty of mention. It is something of his Magic legacy as he established something of a Magic-killer legacy. A random role player having a big game (see Damjan Rudez too).
Meeks though has a clear NBA skill. He is a stellar shooter — a career 37.3 percent shooter — and someone who has been on the verge of being a quality bench scorer. Meeks is a spread-the-floor player who can knock down shots when he is left open.
He was the perfect player for Stan Van Gundy. A specialist who can hit threes and, with some guidance, at least a neutral defender.
That all came crashing down last year when Meeks broke a bone in his foot and played all but three games. He came back late in the season, but was largely ineffective.
That storyline only got worse and more muddied when Meeks needed surgery to reinforce his previous injured right foot. It is unclear whether Meeks will be ready for training camp.
The Magic too loaded up their bench with shooting. Meeks will be part of that competition for sure. How he recovers from injury and how quickly he can return to the lineup will determine what his role will be.
Meeks’ shooting when he is healthy is extremely valuable. He proved himself effective off the bench in the past two years — in 2014 and 2015 he averaged 13.7 points per game and shot 38.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Meeks has to get healthy again, obviously, to contribute to the Magic. If he does, he should be a great weapon off the bench and a versatile player to help spread the floor.